

Read honest reviews from real students at this uni
Leeds Conservatoire is the largest multidisciplinary conservatoire in the UK. It boasts a wide range of industry-focussed music and performing arts courses which have been mindfully designed to help students find their sound and style, fulfil their creative vision, and kickstart meaningful career paths.
Leeds Conservatoire is at the forefront of music and performing arts education. Lecturers are all experts in their field and are active musicians, performers, practitioners, authors, and researchers. They are joined by a wealth of industry professionals and visiting professors, who regularly run masterclasses and workshops to impart their specialist knowledge to students.
Learners receive high-quality, vocational, and specialist training which provides a strong foundation on which to build a sustainable career in modern industry. Alongside focused tuition, small group training, and self-development in industry-standard facilities, students also have numerous opportunities to develop performance and enterprise both on and off campus.
Students will be studying and living in an incredible city that's bursting with music venues and theatres, a flourishing food scene, bustling nightlife and a cultural calendar of festivals and arts events. Whatever students are into, they'll find it in Leeds.
The conservatoire also offers numerous chances for students to collaborate with inspirational musicians, composers, promoters, actors, record label entrepreneurs, conductors, performers, producers, managers, traditionalists and innovators, right here on campus.
Students hone their talents in contemporary spaces furnished with industry-leading equipment, software, and resources that allow them to progress seamlessly into their career with real workplace skills.
Facilities include:
Playhouse Square
Playhouse Square provides a 180-seat theatre, state-of-the-art dance and drama studios, and rehearsal rooms.
The Venue
A 350-seat theatre plays host to an annual programme of events and showcase performances.
Rooftop Bar
The Rooftop Bar provides spaces for study and for intimate acoustic performances.
Recital Room
A 120-seat space used for various performances, workshops and student nights.
Library and jazz archives
Students benefit from a purpose-built specialist library and archives with extensive physical and digital specialist resources.
Steinway pianos
Leeds Conservatoire is the only UK conservatoire to hold ‘All-Steinway School' status, meaning 95% of pianos come from the renowned Steinway family.
Leeds is one of the UK's largest student cities. With a vibrant cultural scene and a huge variety of music and performance venues, it regularly hosts renowned events particularly relevant to conservatoire students.
Leeds is home to amazing shopping, and is a sports-lovers' paradise with football, rugby, and cricket matches throughout the year. When city life gets too much, students can enjoy the great outdoors, with the spectacular Yorkshire Dales and Peak District both within easy reach.
There are a number of community, activity, and performance societies available to students, offering a great way to relax, make new friends and try new experiences.
Catering to a variety of different interests and hobbies, past societies have included the Afro-Caribbean Society, dance, big band, gaming, film, LGBTQ+, musical theatre, roller skating and so much more.
Students are supported to start new clubs and societies, where interested.
LCSU, the students' union, represents the voice of the student body, and promotes diversity and equality so underrepresented groups are heard. LCSU also runs a diverse range of clubs and societies and a schedule of events throughout the year.
Leeds Conservatoire prides itself on providing vocational, performance-orientated training which reflects the needs of industry. Students are led by expert tutors with impressive creative backgrounds, passing on a wealth of experience to the next generation.
The conservatoire boasts partnerships with local, national, and international music and performing arts organisations, including Opera North, Leeds Playhouse, Red Ladder Theatre Company.. This gives students various opportunities to develop their skills through collaborations, masterclass workshops and international study.
Students can also access dedicated careers support. A dedicated, specialist team is on hand to offer a range of industry-focussed, professional opportunities to prepare students for a life in the creative industries and beyond. This includes funded schemes, an in-house performer agency, work placements and tailored interventions and resources to ensure ambitions and entrepreneurial ideas can be nurtured.
Successful alumni have gone on to find success in a range of careers, from becoming Grammy-nominated producers and composing for blockbuster films and TV shows to performing professionally as solo artists with some of the industry's biggest names.
Leeds Conservatoire allocates rooms in two halls of residence, both owned by private companies.
Joseph Stones House is directly above the main campus building. Students are grouped in three-to-seven-bedroom flats, or can opt for a studio apartment. Rooms cost £206 to £285 per week.*
One Mill Street is a four-minute walk from campus. Rooms are available in five-bedroom flats and cost £179 per week.*
*Prices are subject to change, please visit the university website for more information.
Leeds Conservatoire offers a comprehensive suite of scholarships and bursaries to undergraduate students to ease the cost of study, including:
Bursaries are available to students in financial need. For example, the Leeds Conservatoire Bursary, worth £400 or £800, is automatically calculated and paid in two instalments.
Students at Leeds Conservatoire must meet the academic entry requirements for their preferred course.
Most undergraduate degrees require students to have 96 UCAS tariff points from their Level 3 studies (64 tariff points for courses with a foundation year). This typically should include an A-Level or BTEC Extended Diploma in a music or performance-related subject, such as drama or theatre studies.
Students are also required to have a minimum of three to five GCSEs depending on the course, with English language an essential at a Grade C/4 or better.
As a performing arts school, applicants are expected to audition, attend an interview, or submit a portfolio, depending on their chosen subject. UK students from a household with an income below £25,000 can get their audition travel costs refunded to prevent auditions from being a financial barrier to entry.
International
Courses at Leeds Conservatoire are taught in English. International students from non-majority English speaking countries must hold an overall IELTS score of at least 6.0 with no band score lower than 5.5. Equivalent qualifications are also accepted.
Applicants who do not quite meet the English language requirements may enrol on the school's six-week pre-sessional English language course.
Tuition fees at Leeds Conservatoire are paid annually. For the 2025/26 academic year, tuition fees are as follows:
Additional costs may apply for some courses.
Leeds Conservatoire offers an exciting array of music and performing arts degrees, each tailored to meet the skills, knowledge, and other demands of industry. Undergraduate programmes include:
Leeds Conservatoire also offers a range of master's degrees to students looking to finesse their expertise within their specialism.
Music degrees can be studied as a singular or combined pathway across multiple disciplines. Courses are structured around three distinct elements: highly personalised one-to-one tuition and small group study, contextual studies examining students' creative style within wider cultural context, and professional studies.
Many of the conservatoire's music courses are also available to study with a foundation year, which provides an extra year to develop skills or find a specialism.
Performing arts training is largely delivered through practical classes in small groups, led by inspiring, industry-experienced teaching staff. Rigorous training over 30 hours a week prepares students for the demands of the industry, and develops their consistency, stamina and ability.

Leeds Conservatoire is an institution that specialises exclusively in music and performing arts qualifications. As such, its entire catalogue of courses can be considered an academic strength of the conservatoire.
Students enjoy a standard of tuition that is second to none, no matter their discipline. A practical approach to learning sets graduates up for a successful career in performance, composition, production or performing arts business. Academic staff are high-profile experts in their field, and offer a wealth of experience and technical ability, while ensuring all learners are fully supported and receive a personalised education.
In the Teaching Excellence Framework (2023), Leeds Conservatoire received an overall award of Silver, recognising the very high quality of teaching, student experience, and student outcomes. The panel also acknowledged the outstanding learning resources and digital resources, and the manner in which these were implemented to make learning more accessible to students with disabilities.
The conservatoire has a roster of professional producers, directors, and performers conducting regular professional masterclasses to prepare students for industry. Recent guests have included the sound engineers for Foo Fighters, instrumentalists for Rihanna, songwriters for Sigrid and One Direction, and the orchestrator and conductor for the post-1997 James Bond films.
Leeds Conservatoire's dedicated student support services team are on hand to support every student throughout their studies. Students can access support in a way that works for them, on the phone, by email, or face-to-face.
Support is available across the following areas:
Fees and Funding
The student funding team can advise students on how to apply for Student Finance, provide budgeting and money management support, and help students who experience unexpected financial difficulties.
Disability Support Services
The disability support team offer support, advice and adjustments for students with any disability, neurodiversity, or long-term and/or mental health condition(s).
Study skills
Various workshops are offered on a weekly basis, along with online resources, to help students to develop their skills in research, time management, note-taking, motivation and essay-writing.
Health and wellbeing
The health and wellbeing team supports students with any physical, emotional, or mental health-related issues. They also offer a confidential short-term counselling service and tailored support for students with long-standing mental health difficulties.
Students are entitled to one free physiotherapy appointment per academic year, and one free hearing check. Musical theatre students can also access physiotherapy directly through their course.